5 Grounding Practices for Mental and Physical Health
2020 has been a strange and intense year for all of us as individuals and as a global collective. It’s a year that will go down in history for its sudden, drastic and relentless mark on this earth. It’s a difficult and confusing time for all of us on this planet as we’ve had to get use to new ways of living, balancing keeping informed and educated with sustaining our mental health and a sense of normalcy, and staying connected with those we love while having limited physical connection.
Visiting Nature
As part of keeping my mental health in a good place I’ve been taking to nature as much as possible. When I’m able to safely I’ve been taking to the beach for walks along the pebbles and dips in the cool waters. I like to remain as connected to nature as possible to ground my energy through barefoot walks and being physically close with the trees, water, plants and other animals. Re-wilding is healing for the body as well as the mind and the soul as we electrically reconnect to the earth beneath us. Grounding or earthling, that is physically connecting with nature, has been shown to improve anxiety and depression, chronic fatigue and chronic pain and even reduce our blood pressure levels.
Barefoot Walking
I’ve always felt a lot more comfortable going barefoot. I spend as much of my time as possible without shoes and find that when I do wear regular shoes they restrict my feet from natural movements and can cause my joints to seize up. As someone with both flat and narrow feet I was taught as a child through psychotherapy to use as many muscles in my feet as possible as often as I can. Wildling barefoot shoes allow this range of motion as they’re soft, flexible and act more as a protective layer between the sole of your feet and the ground with a soft sole without restricting movement. Because of this flexible sole, sensory perception and reflexes are triggered in the sole of the foot which improve circulation in the connective tissues (which is great for me as someone who has EDS, a connective tissue disorder) and leads to more overall feeling in the feet. They also strengthen the muscles in the foot and allow our muscles and joints to function more naturally without a shock-absorbing sole that is found in so many shoes that can lead to all kinds of bodily tension and pains in the long-run. I’m wearing Wildling shoes that are crafted responsibly and with respect for our natural environment. Wilding carefully select raw materials with trustworthy and long-term partners and also have a decentralised structure whereby the entire team jointly create the framework conditions so that the skills of each individual can develop. Cooperation is at the core of their business model and they understand that sustainability and fair trade practices are vital for creating a lighter footprint on this earth.
Gardening
Finding time to be outdoors has been challenging during quarantine which is why I started planting my own little garden space. It’s only small and as a renter I’m limited to what I can do with this mostly concreted patch, but building some pallet planters, finding second-hand pots and rescuing a table and bench from the curb has meant I’ve been able to create a small sanctuary away from the rest of the world that is still outdoors. I love that it requires my attention as the garden grows and he plants need pruning or repotting or watering. Gardening has become a movement meditation for me and I way to express my creativity and love for this planet while I’m limited in travel.
Preparing Food
I’ve also been enjoying cooking, baking, playing with recipes and experimenting in the kitchen. This is something I’ve long had a passion for but sometimes making recipes for work can take the fun and fluidity out of it so I’ve been revelling in playing in the kitchen again without deadlines, destinations or deliverables. And the food that has come out of this flow has been incredible! Getting hands-on with something is so important, especially when living in a world run by the online world. So much of what I once loved has now been transformed into a digital space: film photography to digital, painting to digital design and journalling to blogging. It feels good to use my hands and get physical with a medium again, and lately this medium has been fruits and vegetables.
Journalling
And during these long, quarantined days indoors I’ve been taking to my journal to spill my mind into. Getting out my thoughts onto paper helps to get them out of my head, reduce stress and acknowledge where I am emotionally and mentally. If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, insomnia, a scattered brain or a build up of emotion I recommend writing a stream of consciousness and allowing everything that’s been building up within you to rise to the surface and make it’s way out. This practice has been incredibly healing for me. I’ll journal first thing in the morning, after a meditation, when it all feels like too much and when I have an insight, idea or inspiration. My journal is my companion and comes everywhere with me.
These are the ways I’ve been grounding myself through this tumultuous year. Try some of these grounding techniques for yourself and I also urge your to explore your own and find what feels good and grounding for you. We’re all in need of a little extra gentleness and care right now, so be sure to show some to yourself. Isolation has resulted in a lot of loneliness for people all over the world. Let’s support and uplift each other. If you feel called to, share in the comments of the below video what’s been helping you through 2020? Let’s share ideas together, you never who may benefit from what you have to share. We’re all in this year together and have all felt some affect or another. Let’s make room for kindness for ourselves and for others.